A NEW YORK TIMES BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE YEAR
“Open the doors and walk in. This can be the best of times. Stephen Johnson’s brilliant A Is For Art will enchant you.” — Marilyn Stokstad, PhD, author of the definitive textbook Art History
“Stephen Johnson’s A is for Art is at the avant-garde of alphabet expressionism…. Through painting, collage, sculpture, and ready-mades, Johnson’s A is for Art is playful, questioning, and profound.” — Philip Nel, author of The Avant-Garde and American Postmodernity: Small Incisive Shocks and The Annotated Cat: Under the hats of Seuss and his Cats
“Dear Mr. Johnson: I think you have amazing artwork! I wanted to eat the candy structure. I love the names that you call them. Thank you!!!” — Anna, fourth grader, Woodlawn Elementary, Lawrence, Kansas
“Stephen Johnson’s latest body of work, An Abstract Alphabet consists of twenty-six pieces that explore the dynamic and varied relationships between language and culture. In his creative constructions, Johnson’s work acknowledges the arbitrariness of language and juxtaposes the absurd with the overlooked. He alters the natural state of familiar objects in order to create original pieces that fit into a schema governed by the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. By fusing objects linked only by their starting consonant, such as “typewritten text” “triangles” and “tarnished thumbtacks,” Johnson generates cohesive works, each inspired by one letter. Johnson’s work incorporates everyday objects in a playful manner and creates a new way of viewing the world. His “Meditation on the Memory of a Princess” makes a bold statement with an oversized magenta mattress juxtaposed with a mini mauve marble. Through re-contextualizing, Johnson’s innovative creations make viewers think about language and its relevance.” — David Cateforis & Emily Ryan, Professor and curator, the Spencer Museum of Art
Curriculum Themes
Alliterations & Word Play
Art Materials & Art Techniques
Concepts & Colors
Counting & Numbers
English Language
English as a second language
Food & Art
Metaphors & Transformations
Shapes & Sizes
Invention, Imitation, Expression & Style
Vocabulary building
Artistic Movements & Art Historical References for example: “fantastic alphabets” of the 15th Century to abstract expressionism, conceptual art, Dadaism and neo-Dadaism, new realism, pop art and postminimalism
